Steam cleaner

ABSTRACT

A steam cleaner includes a steam boiler having a steam outlet, a control valve having a plug rod moved to close/open the steam outlet, a hose holding a steam tube and a steam nozzle head at one end of the steam tube for steam output control, a push bar pivoted to the steam boiler and turned between a first position where the plug rod is moved forwards to open the control valve and a second position where the plug rod is returned to close the control valve, a return spring adapted to hold the push bar in the second position, and a pull cable inserted through the hose and connected between one end of the push bar and a trigger at the steam nozzle head for pulling the push bar from the second position to the first position upon pressing of the trigger.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus and, morespecifically, to a steam cleaner, which uses a pull cable and a triggerto pull a push bar, causing the push bar to open a control valve forletting steam to be delivered out of the steam boiler to a steam nozzlehead for application, and a return spring to automatically return thepush bar after releasing of the trigger.

[0002] In order to effectively remove dirt and oil stains from thefurniture and kitchen apparatus, a housekeeper may use boiling waterwith detergent to clean the furniture and the kitchen apparatus.However, it is dangerous to use boiling water. One may scald oneselfwith boiling water accidentally when using it. Further, the boilingwater becomes cool quickly when carried in a container for washing. Inorder to eliminate these problems, various steam cleaners have beendeveloped. These steam cleaners commonly comprises a steam boiler, and asteam tube adapted to guide out steam from the steam boiler forapplication. However, these steam cleaners have no means toautomatically control the output of steam from the steam boiler. Even ifthe power switch of the steam cleaner has been switched off, residualsteam is still continuously delivered out of the steam tube to wet thesurroundings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention has been accomplished to provide a steamcleaner, which eliminates the aforesaid problems. It is the main objectof the present invention to provide a steam cleaner, which has means toautomatically control the output of steam from the steam boiler.According to the present invention, a control valve is provided tocontrol the output of steam from the steam boiler, and a push bar iscontrolled by a trigger through a pull cable to move the plug rod of thecontrol valve between the open position and the close position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a steam cleaner constructedaccording to the present invention.

[0005]FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of a part of the presentinvention.

[0006]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a part of the present invention,showing the structure and arrangement of the control valve and the pushbar.

[0007]FIG. 4 is a top view in section of a part of the present inventionshowing the movement of the push bar and the plug rod.

[0008]FIG. 5 is a side view in section of a part of the presentinvention showing the steam passage of the control valve closed.

[0009]FIG. 6 is a side view in section of a part of an alternate form ofthe present invention, showing the reciprocating valve rod of theelectromagnetic valve connected to the plug rod of the control valve.

[0010]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a part of the alternate form of thepresent invention showing the control switch installed in the handle ofthe steam nozzle head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0011] Referring to FIGS. from 1 through 5, a steam cleaner inaccordance with the present invention is shown comprising a housing 1injection-molded from heat-resisting plastics, a steam boiler 2 mountedinside the housing 1, the steam boiler 2, a control valve 3 installed inthe steam outlet 21 of the steam boiler 2, a push bar 4, a mount 5fixedly fastened to the steam boiler 2, and a hose 6 connected to thecontrol valve 3 and extended out of the housing 1. The steam boiler 2comprises a steam outlet 21 for output of steam, a water filling hole 24for the filling of water, an electric heating element 22 controlled toheat water in the steam boiler 2 into steam, a temperature controldevice 23 adapted to detect the temperature of water in the steam boiler2 and to control the operation of the electric heating element 22subject to the detected temperature condition, a safety valve 25, whichautomatically releases the steam from the steam boiler 2 when the insidepressure of the steam boiler 2 surpasses a predetermined high value. Themount 5 comprises a mounting hole 51 aimed at the steam outlet 21 of thesteam boiler 2 and adapted to receive the control valve 3, two flat cutfaces 511 bilaterally disposed in the mounting hole 51, and an uprightsupport 52. The control valve 3 comprises a T-shaped casing formed of ahorizontal shell 31 and a vertical shell 33, the horizontal shell 31having a front end 311 and a rear end 312, a gasket ring 32 fixedlymounted in the front end 311 of the horizontal shell 31, a plug rod 35axially movably mounted in the horizontal shell 31 and extended out ofthe rear end 312 of the horizontal shell 31, the plug rod 35 having afront end inserted through the gasket ring 32 and a stopper 354 andscrewed up with a nut 355 and a neck 351 near a rear end thereof, aplurality of O-rings 352 respectively mounted on the neck 351 anddisposed in contact with the inside wall of the horizontal shell 31, anda spring 353 mounted on the plug rod 35 and stopped against a part ofthe horizontal shell 31 to impart a backward pressure to the plug rod35, causing the nut 355 to press on the stopper 354 against the gasketring 32 and to close the steam passage of the control valve 3. Thevertical shell 33 of the control valve 3 comprises an outer thread 34mounted with an O-ring 342 and inserted through the mounting hole 51 ofthe mount 5 and the steam outlet 21 of the steam boiler 2 and screwed upwith a lock nut 343 inside the steam boiler 2, and two flat cut faces341 bilaterally disposed on the periphery thereof and respectivelyforced into engagement with the flat cut faces 511 of the mount 5. Aconnector 36 is threaded into the front end 311 of the horizontal shell31 of the control valve 3. A heat-resisting high tensile steam tube 37is inserted through the hose 6, having one end connected to theconnector 36 and an opposite end connected to a steam nozzle head 61 atthe front end (the end remote from the housing 1) of the hose 6. Thesteam nozzle head 61 comprises a handle 62 and a trigger installed inthe handle 63. The push bar 4 is disposed in contact with the rear endof the plug rod 35, having one end (the fixed end) made with a pivothole 41 pivotally coupled to the upright support 52 of the mount 5, andan opposite end (the free end) connected to a steel cable 38 by aconnector 382. Further a return spring 42 is connected between the freeend of the push bar 41 and a part (for example, a screw rod) of themount 5 to hold the push bar 41 in position. The steel cable 38 isperipherally covered with a protective sleeve 381, having one endconnected to the push bar 4 and an opposite end inserted through thehose 6 and connected to a trigger 63 at the handle 62 of the steamnozzle head 61. When pressing the trigger 63, the push bar 4 is pulledby the steel cable 38 and turned about the upright support 52 to pushthe plug rod 35 forwards, thereby causing the stopper 354 and the nut355 to be moved with the plug rod 35 forwards from the gasket ring 32 toopen the steam passage of the control valve 3, and therefore steampasses from the steam boiler 2 through the control valve 3, the steamtube 37, and the steam nozzle head 61 for application. When releasingthe trigger 63, the push bar 4 is immediately returned to its formerposition by the return spring 42, enabling the spring 353 to pull theplug rod 35 back to its former (close) position, and therefore the nut355 is pressed on the stopper 354 against the gasket ring 32 to closethe steam passage of the control valve 3.

[0012] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, an electromagnetic valve 7 may beused and installed in the mount 5 to control the operation of thecontrol valve 3. The electromagnetic valve 7 comprises a reciprocatingvalve rod 71 connected to the rear end of the plug rod 35. A controlswitch 72 is installed in the handle 62 of the steam nozzle head 61, andconnected to the electromagnetic valve 7 by an electric wire 721. Whenpressing on the control switch 72, the electromagnetic valve 7 isenergized to extend the reciprocating valve rod 71, thereby causing theplug rod 35 to be moved forwards to open the steam passage of thecontrol valve 3. On the contrary, when releasing the control switch 72,the electromagnetic valve 7 is off, the reciprocating valve rod 71 isretrieved, and the steam passage of the control valve 3 is closed.

[0013] A prototype of steam cleaner has been constructed with thefeatures of FIGS. 1˜7. The steam cleaner functions smoothly to provideall of the features discussed earlier.

[0014] Although particular embodiments of the invention have beendescribed in detail for purposes of illustration, various modificationsand enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited exceptas by the appended claims.

What the invention claimed is:
 1. A steam cleaner comprising: a housinginjection-molded from heat-resisting plastics; a metal steam boiler,said metal steam boiler comprising a steam outlet disposed in a topcover thereof for output of steam, an electric heating elementcontrolled to heat water in said steam boiler into steam, and atemperature control device adapted to detect the temperature of water insaid steam boiler and to control the operation of said electric heatingelement subject to the detected temperature condition; a control valveinstalled in the steam outlet of said steam boiler and adapted tocontrol output of steam from said steam boiler; an electromagnetic valveinstalled in the top cover of said steam boiler adjacent to said controlvalve and controlled to close/open said control valve; and a controlswitch connected to said electromagnetic valve by an electric wire andadapted to control the operation of said electromagnetic valve.
 2. Thesteam cleaner of claim 1 wherein said control valve comprises a T-shapedcasing formed of a horizontal shell and a vertical shell disposed incommunication with said steam outlet of said steam boiler, a plug rodaxially movably mounted in said horizontal shell and moved between afirst position to close said steam outlet and a second position to opensaid steam outlet; said electromagnetic valve comprises a reciprocatingvalve rod connected to one end of said plug rod and adapted to move saidplug rod between said first position and said second position.
 3. Thesteam cleaner of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a detachablehose disposed on the outside, said detachable hose having one endconnected to the horizontal shell nozzle head for output of steam fromsaid steam boiler.
 4. The steam cleaner of claim 2 further comprising aconnector fixedly fastened to one end of the horizontal shell of saidcontrol valve, and a heat-resisting high tensile steam tube insertedthrough said hose, said heat-resisting high tensile steam tube havingone end connected to the connector at the horizontal shell of saidcontrol valve and an opposite end connected to said steam nozzle headfor guiding steam from said steam boiler and said control valve to saidsteam nozzle head for application.
 5. The steam cleaner of claim 1wherein said control valve and said electromagnetic valve are mounted ona mount being fixedly fastened to said steam boiler by screws, saidmount comprising a mounting hole disposed in communication with saidsteam outlet of said control valve and two flat cut faces bilaterallydisposed in said mounting hole; said vertical shell of said controlvalve comprises an outer thread mounted with an O-ring and insertedthrough the mounting hole of said mount and the steam outlet of saidcontrol valve and screwed up with a lock nut inside said steam boiler,and two flat cut faces respectively forced into engagement with the flatcut faces of said mount.
 6. The steam cleaner of claim 4 wherein saidcontrol switch is installed in said steam nozzle head for operation byhand to control said electromagnetic valve.
 7. A steam cleanercomprising a housing, a metal steam boiler mounted in said housing, saidsteam boiler comprising a steam outlet disposed in a top cover thereoffor output of steam, an electric heating element controlled to heatwater in said steam boiler into steam, a hose extended out of saidhousing, a steam nozzle head fixedly fastened to one end of said hoseremote from said housing, a control valve mounted on a mount at saidsteam boiler and connected to said steam outlet of said steam boiler, aconnector connected to said control valve, a steam tube inserted throughsaid hose and connected between said connector and said steam nozzlehead for guiding steam from said steam boiler and said control valve tosaid steam nozzle head for application, and control means controlled toclose/open said control valve, wherein: said control valve comprises aT-shaped casing formed of a horizontal shell and a vertical shelldisposed in communication with said steam outlet of said steam boilersaid horizontal shell having a front end and a rear end, a gasket ringfixedly mounted in the front end of said horizontal shell, a stopper, aplug rod axially movably mounted in said horizontal shell and extendedout of the rear end of said horizontal shell, said plug rod having afront end inserted through said gasket ring and said stopper and screwedup with a nut and a neck near a rear end thereof, a plurality of O-ringsrespectively mounted on said neck and disposed in contact with an insidewall of said horizontal shell, and a spring mounted on said plug rod andstopped against a part of said horizontal shell to impart a backwardpressure to said plug rod, causing said nut to press on said stopperagainst said gasket ring and to close said control valve; said controlmeans comprises a push bar disposed in contact with the rear end of saidplug rod and controlled to move said plug rod to close/open said controlvalve, said push bar having a fixed end provided with a pivot holepivotally coupled to an upright support of said mount and a free end, atrigger mounted on said steam nozzle head, a pull cable controlled bysaid trigger to move said push bar, said pull cable having a first endconnected to the free end of said push bar and a second end insertedthrough said hose and connected to said trigger, and a return springconnected between the free end of said push bar and a part said mount tohold said push bar in position.